Game board having compartments with trap doors

ABSTRACT

A table-type game device for two or more players characterized by a shallow panlike base providing a receiver and provided in its corners with paired right angularly disposed vertical blocks. These blocks support and elevate a horizontal game board. They also define individual checker trapping bins. The areas of the game board directly above and aligned with the bins are delineated and colored to provide distinguishable zones for the players. Each zone has an ovate slot and an underlying trap door conjointly defining a traylike well in which the distinctively colored and numbered checkers are deposited, according to the rules of the game. When a player succeeds in accumulating his ten checkers in his well, he pushes a spring returned plunger which is linked to the trap doors. All four of the doors then open and chute all collected checkers into the receiver and the lucky player is the winner of the then finished game.

United States Patent [72] Inventor John R. Rogerson Box l0, Leonardville, New Brunswick,

Canada [21] Appl. No. 2,065 [22] Filed Jan. 12, 1970 [45] Patented Oct. l2, 1971 [54] GAME BOARD HAVING COMPARTMENTS WITH 273/130R 27s/136C 2,542,870 2/1951 Hyland 3,073,601 l/l963 Baillo ABSTRACT: A table-type garnie device for two or more players characterized by a shallow panlike base providing a receiver and provided in its comers with paired right angularly disposed vertical blocks. These blocks support and elevate a horizontal game board. They also define individual checker trapping bins. The areas of the game board directly above and aligned with the bins are delineated and colored to provide distinguishable zones for the players. Each zone has an ovate slot and an underlying trap door conjointly defining a traylike well in which the distinctively colored and numbered checkers are deposited, according to the rules of the game, When a player succeeds in accumulating his ten checkers in his well, he pushes a spring returned plunger which is linked to the trap doors. All four of the doors then open and chute all collected checkers into the receiver and the lucky player is the winner ofthe then finished game.

PATENTEDDU 12 :en

SHEET 2 UF 2 This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in a portable table-type game device which lends itself to self-standing use atop a card table or the like, which functions to entertain and provide amusing pastime for two to four participating players and which has to do with a game board which is positioned in spaced parallel relation over a shallow panlike base plate and which has novel facilities whereby numbered distinctively colored checkers can be used as gainepieces.

4An object of the disclosed invention is to improve upon game devices in which numbered game pieces are brought into play in predetermined sequence and' with a view toward attaining an established score and thus determining the winner. The top surface of the game board is provided with distinctively colored areas or zones one for each participant, these zones being unique in that each is provided with a traylike well in which each player accumulates checkers, say checkers numbered and ranging from one to ten, after which a 4trap door, which forms the bottom of the well or tray, is

opened in a manner to dump the collected checkers into an underlying trapping bin.

Briefly the game device comprises a horizontal self-standing baseplate whose outer marginal edge is provided with a short upstanding flange defining a receiver. Spacers of equal height are interposed and fixed between the top surface of the baseplate and an underneath surface of a complementa] game board in a manner that the board is perched atop `the spacers and is elevated and fixed in a plane above and parallel with the plane of the base plate. This game board has a top surface provided with a row of recesses in which sequentially numbered selectively playable checkers are initially racked for systematic storing and readiness of use. According to the rules of the game, which will vary from time to time, the checkers are deposited, usually one at a time, by the rival players in their predetermined accumulating and holding well or tray. The lucky player who succeeds in depositing all ten of his checkers in the well promptly empties the well by opening the pivoted downwardly and outwardly swinging trap door. This is accomplished through the medium of a spring returned slidingly mounted upstanding plunger. The plunger operates nonrotatably through a guide collar and has its lower end connected beneath the game board with links which in turn are operatively connected with the hinged trap doors. It should be noted that the winner not only opens his own trap door but all of the other trap doors of the rival participants thus designat- 4ing himself as the declared winner and preventing further plays by the other participating players.

ln carrying out the principles of the invention L-shaped spacing blocks are arranged in pairs. Each pair of blocks is such that the companion blocks are at right angles to each other and each pair of blocks is confined to a corner of the receiver portion of the baseplate. These blocks not only support and elevate the game board but define bins which are located beneath each playing area or zone.

The game device also features a single spring-loaded automatically returned plunger. This plunger has a push button which is conveniently centralized so that it is available to all four players. The plunger rides down through a guide collar and is provided at its bottom with a washer which in turn serves to accommodate links which operate the downwardly swinging hingedly mounted trap doors.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. l is a view in perspective of a game device constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing optionally usable individual dice cups, showing some of the checkers racked for readiness of play and others pocketed in the individual playing openable wells.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view on a smaller scale with the optional cups omitted and with the wells or trays empty.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view with parts in section and elevation taken approximately on the plane of the section line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to and based on FIG. 3 and showing corresponding structural parts but with the plunger shoved or pushed down in a manner to simultaneously open all four of the trap doors whereby to empty whatever checkers that may have been deposited in the individual wells.

FIG. 5 is a detail view with parts in section and elevation taken on the plane of the horizontal section line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view with certain of the parts omitted and which shows, somewhat diagrammati'cally, the essential component parts and the manner in which they are coordinated for use.

FIG. `7 is a view in perspective of one of the aforementioned checkers or game pieces as they are sometimes called.

Referring now to the views of the drawings, singly and collectively, the aforementioned horizontal base means is denoted by the numeral 8 and comprises a substantially rectangular flat-faced self-standing plate 10 which in practice is usually rectangular as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The outer marginal edge of this plate has a short upstanding flange l2 which in conjunction with the plate proper defines a comparatively shallow receiver for the game pieces. This receiver is also herein referred to as a shallow panlike receiver and4 is made of appropriate lightweight but sturdy material. The horizontal vertically spaced game board, also of suitable material, is denoted by the numeral 14 and it too is rectangw lar in plan and is of an area less than the plan dimension or area of the base plate. It is centralized so that its marginal edges are spaced inwardly from the flange 12. This game board is supported in its elevated position by way of substantially L-shaped spacing blocks all of which are denoted by the numeral 16, each including a horizontal bottom leg 18 and a vertical leg 20. It will be noted particularly in FIGS. l, 2 and 6 that these L-shaped blocks 16 are arranged in pairs. That is to say each pair of blocks is at right angles to each other and each pair is located in a given comer of the receiver portion of the base. By thus pairing and circumferentially spacing the blocks individual bins are provided and each bin is generally denoted by the numeral 22. That portion of the game board directly above the bin 22 in each instance is marked, colored and otherwise defined to provide an individual playing zone. To this end it will be seen that diagonal marker lines 24 are arranged to define a triangulate playing zone 25 for each participan't. Toward the outer marginal edge shallow circular recesses are provided as at 26 and are arranged in a straight across row to accommodate the insertable and removable playing pieces, more particularly checkers 28. Each checker is of the general structural form shown in FIG. 7. It comprises a white disclike top 30 having a numeral as at 32 inscribed thereon. The marginal surface is of a predetermined color as at 34. It can be assumed that one of the aforementioned player zones 25 is colored red, another one blue, a third one gold and the other one white or gray (not lined for color) as desired. Each triangulate zone 25 has its own color and is associated with a correspondingly colored underlying bin. Each zone is also provided with an ovate slot or opening 38 which opens through the top and bottom surfaces of the game board 14 as brought out in FIGS. 3 and 4. Each slot forms a component part of the traylike well. The bottom of the well is defined by an underlying plate or shutter 40. This shutter constitutes not only the bottom of the well but a trap door and has a knuckle 41 along one edge as at 42 which is hingedly mounted on a hinge pintle 44 (FIG. 6). The hinge pintles are bracketed in place as at 45. Each trap door spans the slot 38 and cooperates therewith in defining a relatively shallow but suitable checker depositing well. The checkers 28 are numbered from one to l0 and the player who first racks all l0 of his checkers in his row of pockets 26, according to the rules of the game can then open all wells 40 and dump all unplayed checkers into the uriderlyng bins 22 and thus signal that he is the winner, that the game is over.

To accomplish the well opening and dumping result desired simple mechanical means is provided. To the ends desired an opening 46 (FIGS. 3 and 4) is provided centrally in the game board 14 and a guide collar 48 is aligned therewith. The guicb collar has an encircling holddown flange 50 which is fastened atop the game board. The collar is rectangular in cross section to accommodate the slidingly mounted and correspondingly shaped rod S2 of the plunger means. This rod is such in length that the upper end is provided with an available or easy-to-use push button 54. A coil spring 56 surrounds the upper part of the plunger rod and is interposed between the collar and the button as brought out in FIGS. 3 and 4. The normal position of the spring is shown in FIG. 3. The depressed position is shown in FIG. 4. A washer 58 is mounted by way of a nut 60 on the lower end of the plunger rod and serves to accommodate adjacent end portions 62 of four circumferentially spaced actuating links 64. The outer eye-equipped ends 66 of the links are connected with spaced parallel depending ears 68 which are properly located on the underneath sides of the aforementioned hingedly mounted trap doors.

As stated FIG. 3 shows the position and relation of the spring-loaded plunger means, links, washer and trap doors and consequently when the winner signals his opponents that he has won the game he pushes the plunger from the up position shown in FIG. 3 to the down position shown in FIG. 4 whereupon not only his trap door but all of the other trap doors are opened and all of the game pieces which are in the wells are dumped into the underlying trapping bins.

As stated each triangulate zone is provided with suitable pockets 26 to accommodate the insertable and removable checkers 28. The checkers are colored to correspond with the color of the particular zone in which they are racked in readiness for use as illustrated for example in FIG. 2.

Various rules and regulations (not herein set forth) may be resorted to for playing a game of this type. It can be assumed for example that each player takes his tum from left to right around the board. The numbered playing pieces 28 are placed in the individual cups A-B-C-D. These cups are individually colored to conform with the coloring scheme for each player.

One rule for playing this game is as follows: Each player puts his checkers in his glass or container (A-B-C-D) and when one player says count each player dumps his checkers into the ovate well 40 in his section and all start placing them in the ten recesses 26, starting with number one and continuing in rotation to number l0. The player who is the first to succeed in placing all l checkers in the pockets or recesses 26 opens all trap doors and throws his rivals out of play. The score of the winner and the numbers of checkers the other players lose may be decided by rules previously arranged before the game. When the checkers are dumped from the glasses into the ovate slots some of the checkers may be with its number up while others may be plain side up, thus making the game more interesting inasmuch as number one has to be found first, number two second and so on to number 10.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

l. A portable game device suitable for entertaining and pastime use by one or more players comprising a horizontal self-standing base plate, a horizontal game board, spacers of' equal height interposed and fixed between a top surface of said base plate and an underneath surface of said game board and elevating and fixing the game board in a plane above and parallel with said base plate, said game board having a top surface provided with numbered selectively and sequentially usable checkers and means for systematically racking said checkers, said game board also having an accumulating and holding well in which the checkers are deposited for playing according to the rules of the game being played said well ernbodying an openable and closable door which when opened serves to dump the checkers therein atop said baseplate for accessible retrieval and reuse.

2. The game device defined in and according to claim l, and wherein said well is defined in part by an elongated slot opening through the top and bottom surfaces of said game board, said door comprising a shutter spanning and underlying said slot and hingedly mounted on the bottom surface and normally closed but swingable to a downwardly inclined checker dumping position.

3. The game device defined in and according to claim 2, and, in combination, a spring-biased plunger operatively mounted on said game board, and means providing a linking and operating connection between said plunger and shutter.

4. The game device defined in and according to claim 2, and, in combination, a spring-biased plunger operatively mounted on said game board, and means providing a linking and operating connection between said plunger and shutter, said plunger embodying a rod, a guide collar fixed atop said game board, said rod being vertically slidable through said collar and having an end thrust knob on an upper end of the rod, a washer mounted on a lower end of said rod, said operating connection embodying a link having one end pivotally joined to said washer and its other end pivotally connected with and for opening and closing said shutter.

5. The game device defined in and according to claim l, and wherein said base plate is flat and imperforate and is provided around its marginal edge with an upstanding flange defining a shallow panlike receiver, said spacers comprising like blocks which are L-shaped in side elevation, the respective blocks being circumferentially spaced and providing individual checker trapping bins between themselves.

6. A portable table-type game device designed and adapted for entertaining pastime when used by two or more competing players and comprising: a flat self-standing horizontal baseplate having an encompassing marginal flange and of minimal vertical height and defining a shallow panlike receiver, a plurality of substantially L-shaped spacing blocks paired and mounted vertically in circumferentially spaced corners of the receiver portion of said. base plate, a horizontal game board perched and fixed atop said blocks, said game board being disposed in spaced parallelism above the plane of the baseplate and being of an area in plan less than the area of the baseplate with its outer marginal edges spaced inwardly from the corresponding flanged marginal edges of said baseplate, the blocks of the respective pairs being at right angles to each other, the thus paired blocks located in the respective comers providing checker accumulating and trapping bins for the individual players, that part of the top side of the game board which is directly above and aligned with each bin being delineated, marked, and distinctively colored and providing a restricted zone for the player who selects and uses it as his game playing locale, each zone having an elongated slot defining part of a checker depositing well, a shutter spanning and underlying said slot and coordinating therewith in completing said well, said shutter defining a trap door and being hingedly mounted and adapted to swing down toward said baseplate when the user desires to dump the checkers from the well into the coordinating bin.

7. Game device dened in and according to claim 6 and, in combination, a spring-biased plunger operatively mounted on said game board, and means providing a linking and operating connection between the plunger and an adjacent cooperating trap door.

8. Game device defined in and according to claim 6 and, in combination, a spring-biased plunger operatively mounted on said game board, and means providing a linking and operating connection between the plunger and an adjacent cooperating trap door, said plunger embodying a rod, a guide collar fixed atop the game board, said rod being vertically slidable through pivotally joined to said washer and its other end pvotally connected with and for opening and closing said shutter. 

1. A portable game device suitable for entertaining and pastime use by one or more players comprising a horizontal self-standing base plate, a horizontal game board, spacers of equal height interposed and fixed between a top surface of said base plate and an underneath surface of said game board and elevating and fixing the game board in a plane above and parallel with said base plate, said game board having a top surface provided with numbered selectively and sequentially usable checkers and means for systematically racking said checkers, said game board also having an accumulating and holding well in which the checkers are deposited for playing according to the rules of the game being played said well embodying an openable and closable door which when opened serves to dump the checkers therein atop said baseplate for accessible retrieval and reuse.
 2. The game device defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said well is defined in part by an elongated slot opening through the top and bottom surfaces of said game board, said door comprising a shutter spanning and underlying said slot and hingedly mounted on the bottom surface and normally closed but swingable to a downwardly inclined checker dumping position.
 3. The game device defined in and according to claim 2, and, in combination, a spring-biased plunger operatively mounted on said game board, and means providing a linking and operating connection between said plunger and shutter.
 4. The game device defined in and according to claim 2, and, in combination, a spring-biased plunger operatively mounted on said game board, and means providing a linking and operating connection between said plunger and shutter, said plunger embodying a rod, a guide collar fixed atop said game board, said rod being vertically slidable through said collar and having an end thrust knob on an upper end of the rod, a washer mounted on a lower end of said rod, said operating connection embodying a link having one end pivotally joined to said washer and its other end pivotally connected with and for opening and closing said shutter.
 5. The game device dEfined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said base plate is flat and imperforate and is provided around its marginal edge with an upstanding flange defining a shallow panlike receiver, said spacers comprising like blocks which are L-shaped in side elevation, the respective blocks being circumferentially spaced and providing individual checker trapping bins between themselves.
 6. A portable table-type game device designed and adapted for entertaining pastime when used by two or more competing players and comprising: a flat self-standing horizontal baseplate having an encompassing marginal flange and of minimal vertical height and defining a shallow panlike receiver, a plurality of substantially L-shaped spacing blocks paired and mounted vertically in circumferentially spaced corners of the receiver portion of said base plate, a horizontal game board perched and fixed atop said blocks, said game board being disposed in spaced parallelism above the plane of the baseplate and being of an area in plan less than the area of the baseplate with its outer marginal edges spaced inwardly from the corresponding flanged marginal edges of said baseplate, the blocks of the respective pairs being at right angles to each other, the thus paired blocks located in the respective corners providing checker accumulating and trapping bins for the individual players, that part of the top side of the game board which is directly above and aligned with each bin being delineated, marked, and distinctively colored and providing a restricted zone for the player who selects and uses it as his game playing locale, each zone having an elongated slot defining part of a checker depositing well, a shutter spanning and underlying said slot and coordinating therewith in completing said well, said shutter defining a trap door and being hingedly mounted and adapted to swing down toward said baseplate when the user desires to dump the checkers from the well into the coordinating bin.
 7. Game device defined in and according to claim 6 and, in combination, a spring-biased plunger operatively mounted on said game board, and means providing a linking and operating connection between the plunger and an adjacent cooperating trap door.
 8. Game device defined in and according to claim 6 and, in combination, a spring-biased plunger operatively mounted on said game board, and means providing a linking and operating connection between the plunger and an adjacent cooperating trap door, said plunger embodying a rod, a guide collar fixed atop the game board, said rod being vertically slidable through said collar and having an end thrust knob on an upper end of the rod, a washer mounted on a lower end of said rod, said operating connection embodying a link having one end pivotally joined to said washer and its other end pivotally connected with and for opening and closing said shutter. 